Where you should be this Saturday

I have been focused on language study for the past several weeks. My Seoul National University class was a lot of fun. My next class begins in two weeks. I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to get back to posting here several times a week. Sorry for being absent.

dagTunes: Do Make Say Think in Seoul (V-Hall, Sunday, 2/21/10)

Do Make Say Think will be in Seoul this weekend. I'll be there, too. 비둘기우유 (Vidulgi Ooyoo) is opening up for them. Two great live bands! And, from what I've read, all 9 members of DMST will make the trip to Seoul.

I'm excited about this show because it's a change of pace for me. I'm usually all about the ska/early reggae & hardcore shows and clubs. Seoul actually has a diverse live scene.

It's just that it's so tempting to stay with What I Know and Where I Go. Know what I mean?

It's a little expensive, but I want to support the effort to bring good acts here. Here's link to the Korea Gig Guide calendar for the weekend.


Save money and visit the supercolorsuper web site to learn how to buy tickets in advance to save 10,000Won.

dagTunes: 펄 시스터즈 (The Pearl Sisters)

I'm a little obsessed with traditional Korea pop. One of my favorite vocal groups is The Pearl Sisters, featuring sisters Bae In Soon and Bae In Sook. I can't find much about them in English. From what I can tell, their mother originally encouraged them to sing as "The Kim Sisters". Lee Nanyong was an actress and singer during the Korean War and it sounds like she got her daughters involved in 노래 (norae, song) contests held on the military bases. The girls like performing and soon were recording. They became popular with the backing of Korea's godfather of rock'n'roll, Shin Jung Hyeon, the subject of my next post.

Anyway, if you know more about the sisters, leave a comment.

Contemporary K-Pop is such weak, fashion-oriented, easily-consumed and forgettable junk that researching the 50s, 60s, and 70s Korean Pop, Folk, and Rock scenes has been a real joy. Korea has a wealth of musical treasures. You just have to dig a little to find them.

I can't wait to hit the used record stores in 남대문시장 (Namdaemun Market) and attempt to find some of the music I've grown to love.

Much of the late-sixties to mid-seventies pop & rock music is garage and folk influenced. There is plenty of progressive and hard rock around but the best is the psychedelic tinged folk and folk pop and songs like The Pearls Sisters' garage pop.

"Shadows of the Two" and "I'll Wait" (During the first song there's a little pause in the audio that lasts about 3-4secs.)



The next one is called "커피 한잔" and is probably the best song about "a cup of coffee" I've ever heard:



I like "I Can Not" quite a bit. It's a nice garage pop number:

dagTunes: Vertebrats "Left in the Dark"

This great tune is the first track on the great compilation album from long ago, Be a Caveman: The Best of Voxx Garage Revival. I suggest you get to a used record store near you and find it.

Seoul Shows. Weekend 11/28/2008.

Nothing on Friday. And Saturday does not look too promising, but then I am playing soccer on Saturday and will likely be drinking with the team afterwards.

Sunday, however, looks fun.

At 4pm, Yogiga, there will be a noise show.

Bulgasari - experimental noise night. featuring: Sato Yukie, Lee Han-ju, Hong Shine, Michael Oakley.

I looked up Bulgasari and the web site hasn't been updated in a while. But it looks pretty promising. I will go if I can find Gallery Yogiga.

Then, at 8pm, FF, Jens Leckman

Jens Lekman, with Pink Elephant, We Need Surgery and The Fist
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: 25,000 won.

Sounds great, but 25,000 won is a rip-off. Leckman is great. But even Sonic Youth doesn't cost 25bucks in the states. Can't see some singer-songwriter making it worthwhile. Esp, since I'd have to catch a cab home from Hongdae (about 13,000 won) afterwards.

Let's face it. The underground music scene in Seoul suffers because there is no solidarity between clubs and club owners and show promotion is an absolute joke. I'd love to help, but all my shit is in storage in the US. And I have no time to do anything with my work schedule.

The opportunity for a killer music scene exists, but...

Anyway,

Like NOISE. Let's get together and check out Bulgasari. Should be pretentious fun. At least my brain will get a work out.

Oh. I think Samchung is playing Saturday night. HOT. That's what to do on Saturday. The Spot has a show. More than 10 bands--metal to hardcore--15,000 won. Should be loud, sweaty fun. But I am digging playing striker for Hae Woori too much to ditch for music. I smelled goal last week. I will score this week.

(t)here i go.

Just when I feel things settling down, everything seems out of control once again.

My first month in Seoul has been too fast and frustrating yet worth every moment. I am very busy with school work this week.

This weekend I am going to Grand Mint Festival. Friday-Sunday: 60+ bands. Yo la Tengo is the main event Saturday night. I am going with my new friend Jan. He's from Belgium. I met him last weekend. Great guy. We're also going to see Korea take on the UAE in a World Cup qualifier match at World Cup Stadium.

I will have photos and more by Monday evening. The next 5 days look pretty exciting; unfortunately, I won't be anywhere near a computer.

Boston Hardcore in Seoul

Yes. Internet is working fine. Enjoyed baseball last night. Pictures to come.

I will head out to Hongdae tonight to see some great Boston hardcore! Can't believe an act like this is coming to Seoul. They are even playing a show outside of Seoul--from what I can tell, very rare.

Say hi to me if you're there. I'll be the bald guy in the St Pauli tshirt with a big smile.